Windshield wiper



June 4, 1940. .1. w. ANDERSON WINDSHIELD WIPER 4 Filed Feb. l2, 1934 W W n Patented June 4, 1940 wlNnsnlEL-n wnEn AJohn W. Anderson,

Gary, Ind., assignor to Productive Inventions, Inc.,A Gary, Ind., a corporation o! Indiana Application February 12', 1934, serial No. 710,817

12 claims.

Among other objects, the present invention isA intended to provide novel means for connecting the windshield wiping blade or element and support therefor to an operating arm.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel means for mounting the connecting mem,- ber or clip on the wiping element support in a manner to permit a rocking movement oi the support and blade with respect to the clip and operating arm.

Another object oi the invention is to provide novel means for mounting the connectingmember on the operating arm.-

A further object of the invention is to provide acne-piece connecting member adapted to be readily connected'to and removed from a wiping element support and the operating arm therefor.

A still further object of the present invention is to improve devices of the character -described in sundry details hereinafter referred to and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Gne embodiment of thevpresent invention is shown for illustrative purposes in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a windshield wiper blade and operating arm assembly, showing its application to the windshield of a motor vehicle, or the like, and illustrating an embodiment of the present invention associated therewith;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially as indicated by theline 2--2 of Fig. 1;

' Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional elevational view taken substantially as indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective` view of my improved .wiper blade support and arm connector.v In the drawing, the present invention is show in relation to a windshield wiper blade comprising a wiping element 6 and a support 1 therefor operatively connected to a wiper or operating arm 8 shown, in Fig. 1, as operatively connected to a rockshaft 9 mounted to oscillate in a bearing portion i0 of a windshield frame pro- 'vided for supporting a windshield indicated at The operating or wiper arm 8, illustrated in the drawing, is provided adjacent its free end with a channel shaped portion indicated as a whole by the numeral i2 and comprisinga bottom portion I3 and side walls i4, the outer ends of the side walls being shown, in the present in stance, as extending a substantial distance-beyond the outer end oi'` the bottom portion i3 of the channel, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

For connecting the wiper blade to the arm 3, my improved connector, clearly shown in Fig. 4 and designated as a whole by the numeral i5, comprises a body portion `iii shown, in the pres- `ent instance, as of substantially U-shaped cross section, and adapted to be positioned in the channel i2 formed at the free end of the arm 8, the connector i5 being provided with a exible blade-support engaging member or strip il shown in the present instance, as formed integrally with one leg portion of the U-shaped body i6 of the connector i5, and adapted to be positioned loosely in an aperture it formed inthe wiper blade supporting member "i,- and to be bent around the body portion it of the connector I5 in a manner to occupy a position between the outside of the U-shaped body portion i6 and the bottom I3 of the channel i2 formed on the arm 3, as clearly shown and indicated at i9 in Fig. 2. For mounting the connector i5 in the channel i 2 of the arm and securing it against displacement With respect thereto, the connector i5 is shown, in the present instance, as provided adjacent one of its ends with a pair of oppositely disposed lugs or projections t@ extending laterally therefrom, preferably, in substantially the plane of the bottom of the U-shaped body portion it and adapted to engage the free end of the arm 8 and, preferably, the extended end portions of the wide walls ifi of the-channel l2, as clearly shown in Figs. i and 3, and at its opposite end, the connector i5 is shown as provided with a pair of laterally extending flexible,4

and preferably resilient, fingers 2i adaptedI to yieldingly engage'the arm ii at a distance remote from the free end thereof, and intermediate the ends of the arm, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2

and 3, itbeing understood that the connector i5 may be formed from resilient sheet material and, if desired, the temper may be drawn from the member or strip ii to facilitate its being bent arouxzid the connector in the manner shown in Fig.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the present invention provides a simple inexpensive device by which a wiper blade may be connected to a wiper arm in a manner to effectively maintain the blade and arm in operative relation to each other, and to provide a structure, which may be readily removed from the arm and blade for making replacements of the blade when required, it being necessary, in such an instance, to merely disengage the ngers 2l from the intermediate portion of the arm 8 after which the connector I5 may be removed from the channel I2, member I1 removed from the aperture I8 of the blade support 1 and inserted in a new blade for attachment to the arm 8 in the manner disclosed in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the precise construction and arrangements shown and described, as the same may be variously modified without departing from the spiritv and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

WhatvI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a windshield wiper, the combination with a wiper blade having an aperture formed therein, of means for connecting said blade to a wiper arm, said means comprising an elongated connector, a laterally extending flexible strip integral with said connector adapted to be positioned loosely in the aperture of the wiper blade for securing the connector thereto, and transversely extending means integral with said connector adjacent the opposite ends thereof and engageable with different portions of a Wiper arm for sccuring the connector to the arm.

2. In a windshield wiper, the combination with a wiper blade having an aperture formed therein, of means for connecting said blade to a wiper arm having a transversely extending end p0rtion, said means comprising an elongated connector, a laterally extending flexible strip on said connector adapted to be positioned loosely in the aperture of the wiper blade and to be bent upon itself for securing the connector to said blade, oppositely disposed transversely extending projections adjacent one end of said connector and engageable with said end portion of the wiper arm, and a pair of fingers adjacent the opposite end of the connector engageable with opposite sides of the wiper arm at a point remote from the end portion thereof.

3. In a windshield wiper, the combination with a wiper blade having an aperture formed therein, of means for connecting said blade to a wiper arm having side walls, said means comprising an elongated connector having a body portion of substantially Ulshaped cross-section, a laterally ex.

tending flexible strip on one leg of the U-shaped portion adapted to be bent laterally and positioned loosely in the aperture of the wiper blade, oppositely disposed projections adjacent one end of said connector and extending laterally therefrom and adapted to engage the end portion ofv said side walls, and resilient fingers adjacent the opposite end of the connector, adapted to yieldingly engage opposite sides of said arm intermediate its end portions.

4. In a windshield wiper, the combination with a wiper blade having an aperture formed therein, of means for connecting said blade to a wiper arm having side wallssaid means comprising an elongated connector having a body portion of substantially U-shaped cross section, a laterally extending exible strip on one leg of the U-shaped portion and adapted to be bent and positioned loosely in the aperture of the wiper blade, oppositely disposed,` projections adjacent one end of said connector and extending laterally therefrom in substantially the plane of the bottom of said 'U -shaped portion and adapted to engage the end portions of the side walls of the wiper arm, and

ngers adjacent the opposite end of the connector and extending substantially transversely to the plane of said projections and adapted to engage opposite sides of said arm intermediate its end portions. .f

5. In a windshield wiper, the' combination withl a wiper blade having a lateral aperture formed therein, of means for connecting said blade to a wiper arm having side walls forming a channel adjacent its free end portion, said means comprising a connector positioned in said channel and having an elongated body portion, a flexible strip extending laterally from said body portion and of a length to be positioned in the aperture of the wiper blade and to be bent over the body portion of the connector to occupy a position between said body portion andthe bottom of the channel formed at the free end of said wiper arm, means adjacent one end of said body portion engaging the ends of the walls of said channel, and

fingers adjacent the opposite end of said body portion engaging a portion of said wiper arm remote from the end thereof.

6. In a windshield wiper, the combination with a wiper blade having a lateral aperture formed therein, of means for connecting said blade to a wiper arm having side walls forming a channel adjacent its free end portion, the ends of the walls of said channel being extended longitudinally beyond the end of the bottom portion thereof, said means comprising a connector positioned in said channel and having an elongated body portion, a flexible strip extending laterally from said body portion and of a length to be positioned loosely in the aperture of the wiper blade- 7. In a windshield wiper, the combination withY a wiper blade having a lateral aperture Aformed therein, of means for connecting said blade to a wiper arm having side walls forming a channel adjacent its free end portion, the ends of the walls of said channel being extended longitudi-` nally beyond the end of the bottom portion thereof said means comprising a connector having an elongated body portion of U-shaped cross-section and nested in said channel, a flexible laterally extending blade supporting member on one leg of saidA U-shaped body portion and of a length to be positioned loosely in the aperture of the wiper blade and to bebent over the U-shaped body portion of the connector to occupy a position between said -body portion and the bottom of the channel formed at the free end of said wiper arm, oppositely disposed projections on one end of said connector extending laterally therefrom in substantially the plane of the bottom of said U-shaped body portion and engaging the longitudinally extended portions ofthe walls of said channel, and a pair of fingers adjacent the opposite end of said body portion of the connector and extending laterally therefrom into engagement with a portion of said wiper arm at a point remote from the free end thereof.

tion, a flexible blade supporting member formed integrally with and extending laterally from said -body portion, oppositely disposed arm engaging projections formed integrally with said body portion and extending laterally therefrom adjacent one end thereof, and a plurality of laterally extending arm engaging fingers formed integrally with said body portion adjacentthe opposite end thereof.

9. A device for connecting a windshield wiper blade to an actuatingarm comprisinga body portion of substantially U-shaped cross-section, a flexible blade supporting member formed integrally with and extending laterally from one leg of said U-shaped body adjacent the central portion thereof, oppositely disposed arm engaging projections formed integrally with said body portion and extending laterally therefrom adjacent one end thereof, and a plurality of laterally extending arm engaging fingers formed integrally with said body portion adjacent the opposite end thereof. l

10. A device for connecting a windshield wiper blade and a support therefor to anactuating arm, comprising a body portion including abase and integrally formed lateral walls, means for pivotally securing the body to the wiper blade support, laterally extending abutment means formed adjacent one end of thebody for engaging an end portion o f the wiper arm, and a plurality of flexible arm embracing fingers adjacent the opposite end of said body lportion.

11. A device for connecting a windshield wiper blade and a support therefor to an actuating arm, said device comprising a body portion having adjacent one of its ends laterally extending abutmeans and having adjacent its other end laterally extending abutment meansfor engaging an end portionof the wiper arm. and transverse means associated with said body and adapted to connect said body to said support.

JoHN w. ANDERSON. 

